Method for Polymer Coating and Functionalization of Metal Nanorods

Abstract

The present invention relates to polymers and their use in coating metal nanorods (especially gold nanorods), and to the coated nanorods compositions. In particular, the invention relates to a process for forming cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-coated gold nanorods and to such coated nanorods that additionally comprise an external cross-linked polymer coating.

1 . A metal nanorod comprising an external cross-linked polymer coating. 
     
     
         2 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , which comprises a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) coating, wherein said CTAB coating is internal to said cross-linked polymer coating. 
     
     
         3 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein said nanorod comprises only a single metal. 
     
     
         4 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein said nanorod is comprises a metal alloy. 
     
     
         5 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein said nanorod comprises gold, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, zinc or cadmium. 
     
     
         6 . The metal nanorod of  claim 5 , wherein said nanorod comprises gold. 
     
     
         7 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein said external cross-linked polymer coating is a polymer of an acrylate monomer. 
     
     
         9 . The metal nanorod of  claim 7 , wherein said acrylate monomer is an ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate. 
     
     
         10 . The metal nanorod of  claim 9 , wherein polymerization of said acrylate monomer is achieved via photopolymerization in the presence of sodium 4-[2-(4-morpholino)benzoyl-2-dimethylamino]-butylbenzene sulfonate (MBS). 
     
     
         11 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein a biomolecule is conjugated to said external cross-linked polymer coating. 
     
     
         12 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein said biomolecule is a peptide, nucleic acid molecule, antibody, enzyme, hormone, or molecular label. 
     
     
         13 . The metal nanorod of  claim 1 , wherein said nanorod has a diameter or cross-section of between about 5 nm and about 50 nm, an axial length of between about 20 nm and about 200 nm, and an aspect ratio between about 2:5 and about 4:5. 
     
     
         14 . A method for forming a metal nanorod, said method comprising forming a metal nanorod in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a photopolymerization initiator of CTAB polymerization, an acrylate monomer, and a photopolymerization initiator of acrylate polymerization, such that a CTAB coating is formed over the metal of said nanorod, and a cross-linked polymer coating is formed over said CTAB coating. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said metal nanorod comprises gold. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said acrylate monomer is an ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein polymerization of said acrylate monomer is achieved via photopolymerization in the presence of sodium 4-[2-(4-morpholino)benzoyl-2-dimethylamino]-butylbenzene sulfonate (MBS). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises conjugating a biomolecule to said cross-linked polymer coating. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said biomolecule is a peptide, nucleic acid molecule, antibody, enzyme, hormone, or molecular label. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said nanorod has a diameter or cross-section of between about 5 nm and about 50 nm, an axial length of between about 20 nm and about 200 nm, and an aspect ratio between about 2:5 and about 4:5.